Just some information. There has been the odd thread on here, about riding south from Sydney down the coast, and it has been raised on several occasions, by myself and others, that between Gerringong and Berry/Shoalhaven Heads, there is virtually no SAFE way to go, with the three options all pretty terrible for road width and safety.

Good news is...Shoalhaven Council are widening Seven Mile Beach Road, a good 2m on either side. They are also widening Bolong Road between Shoalhaven Heads and Back Forest Road. This means heading south from Gerringong will now be far safer for cyclists...which can only be a good thing They've done a good section of the eastern side of the road and started on the west. Should be finished in the next few weeks I imagine.

(Still about 2km of crap at the northern end of Seven Mile Beach Rd which is in Kiama Council's LGA...maybe they will follow)

For almost a year I commuted on bike from Shoalhaven Heads to Nowra along Bolong Rd.Every morning at 4am in the shower I would say a sort of a prayer "please, just don't let me get struck down today".Every time I heard a car coming from behind I would just hold my line and hope I didn't die.Don't ever ride that road unless you have to.Lots of bogans hitting that stretch between 110 and 180kph. They really do hammer.However, you can ride from Gerringong to Shoalhaven heads on the beach. Then when you get to shoalhaven heads Get on the tarmac and head out on to back-forest rd. beautiful rural undulating well kept road which is low on traffic and the locals are used to it being chockers full of cyclists. It's a lovely stretch and comes out right where the highway stretch to Nowra has a reeeealy wide shoulder all the way to Nowra (about 7kms).The shoulder is about 1.5 metres wide, and the road really widens up there so plenty of room for cars and bikes. It's just the stretch between Gerringong and a few kms before Nowra where the roads are skinny, poorly lit and have no shoulder that you want to avoid.Also, if you ride around past Shoalhaven heads and stay on the beach, right at the end there is a punt late crosses the river and takes you across and comes out south of Nowra. It only crosses twice a day though do you want to get your times dialled.

harmonix1234 wrote:For almost a year I commuted on bike from Shoalhaven Heads to Nowra along Bolong Rd.Every morning at 4am in the shower I would say a sort of a prayer "please, just don't let me get struck down today".Every time I heard a car coming from behind I would just hold my line and hope I didn't die.Don't ever ride that road unless you have to.Lots of bogans hitting that stretch between 110 and 180kph. They really do hammer.However, you can ride from Gerringong to Shoalhaven heads on the beach. Then when you get to shoalhaven heads Get on the tarmac and head out on to back-forest rd. beautiful rural undulating well kept road which is low on traffic and the locals are used to it being chockers full of cyclists. It's a lovely stretch and comes out right where the highway stretch to Nowra has a reeeealy wide shoulder all the way to Nowra (about 7kms).The shoulder is about 1.5 metres wide, and the road really widens up there so plenty of room for cars and bikes. It's just the stretch between Gerringong and a few kms before Nowra where the roads are skinny, poorly lit and have no shoulder that you want to avoid.Also, if you ride around past Shoalhaven heads and stay on the beach, right at the end there is a punt late crosses the river and takes you across and comes out south of Nowra. It only crosses twice a day though do you want to get your times dialled.

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Comerong Island ferry runs when a car turns up. It's $10 from the Nowra side and free the other way. Cars can't get from the other so it's really a return fare. I wish it was still fare. If you get the operaters number from the council website you can ring him if he is on the other side.

Further to the comments of 'GAV!N' and 'ab012' earlier in this thread, here's the route of a ride that I did clockwise around the Kiama/Berry/Kangaroo Valley/Robertson/Jamberoo loop last December, on the Sunday before Xmas after setting off from Shellharbour about 6.10am: http://ridewithgps.com/trips/2803847

If you're interested in doing this loop just be aware that the long dowhhill section on the highway before the Gerringong turnoff is unpleasant - there's only one southbound lane and it doesn't have a hard shoulder due to a concrete barrier on the edge where the shoulder should be. This is part of the major Princess Highway upgrade work (7.5km of double carriageway + major bridge at the Gerringong turnoff) that is not due to complete until 2015.

Of course, even after you turn off to Gerringong towards Gerroa & the Beach Rd turnoff to Berry it's one lane each way with no shoulder, but at the early hour I went through there was little traffic going that way.

The long downhill towards the gerringong turnoff really is a nightmare at present. If the traffic is really really busy it's ok as they move pretty slowly. After the gerringong turnoff is only for those with suicidal tendencies. Once this upgrade is complete it should be much better, is that the last link?

Gerringong to Toolijooa is what they're currently doing. That's expected to be completed mid 2015. Then it moves on to Toolijooa to Berry (inc. Berry bypass), due 2018. I'm pretty sure they are now discussing, or may have even had confirmed funding for Berry to Bomaderry. So if you're a road worker and want to live down her, pretty sure you'll have work for probably the next 10 years!

Still dreaming of a safe way to finish the loop (need to get from Berry to Jamberoo - in early afternoon) - does anyone know the current status of this route?

Thanks in advance!

This is the way we go. Pull up a Google map of Berry .....you descend down Berry Mountain on Kangaroo Valley Road....then you take North st along behind the shops. Pop out on the highway. Turn left onto highway and then immediately right (100 metres)onto Tannery Rd. A few km along on your left is Toolijoola Rd which will take you across to the highway just south of Gerringong. (There is a small dirt section there on Toolijoola but its hard packed and not a problem at all, actually quite fun). Now you have no option but to ride on the left of the highway going north ... not sure of the state of the road works but it was okay before the road was fixed so it should be better now. you have to climb the hill up to the Kiama bends (the edge is narrow but again, ok) where you will claim the left lane through to the first Kiama exit. Its all downhill and fast so you will match the cars for speed and be safe. Exit and ride along south Kiama drive into the main shops. The main st is Terralong St and if you follow it due West it turns into Jamberoo Rd and will take you back to Jamberoo.

This section of the ride sounds dangerous but really is not too bad. My son has been doing this loop since he was 16 and I have no problem with it.

The roadworks are pretty active on the southern side of Gerringong, there's not a lot of shoulder to ride on and there's lots of debris, the north side is much improved since the bridge opened earlier in March.

Yeah DD's on the money. Except North Street Berry is now closed with the Bypass works, so just go down the main street (highway). The alternate way to Tollijooa road is just keep heading across to Gerroa. The only dicey bit is going up the hill in Gerroa. It's usually best to take your first right after the bridge, heading up the hill through the houses, and meet back on the road near the Fisherman's club.

I've done both ways countless times and don't really prefer one way over the other. Just depends on how your feeling, and how Tooli Road is. It's not great after a lot of rain, and also not good if they recently graded it (Get's too loose for a road bike), but most of the time it's fine.

Grant is probably right though, until they completely finish the road works north of Tooli road on the highway, I'd probably stick to Gerroa Rd.

Let me know when you're doing it Bernard. If I have the time, I'd be happy to chauffer you from Berry to Gerringong :p

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